Is the electricity reliable in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico? Are there blackouts or brownouts in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Andre Bellon - Bellon Insurance Agents
The electricity in Ajijic and the Chapala area in general has spikes and surges. It does not affect my business because I have surge suppressors for my electronic equipment, but if you do not have that kind of protection, it can damage your equipment, for example, your computers, printers, or your refrigerator. The blackouts occur because the government has no control over the amount of electricity that is sent through the cable, which can damage your equipment, because the electrical...
The electricity in Ajijic and the Chapala area in general has spikes and surges. It does not affect my business because I have surge suppressors for my electronic equipment, but if you do not have that kind of protection, it can damage your equipment, for example, your computers, printers, or your refrigerator. The blackouts occur because the government has no control over the amount of electricity that is sent through the cable, which can damage your equipment, because the electrical current is not consistent.
The electricity hardly ever just goes out in Ajijic- it is reliable. I’ve been in this office for 5 years, and we only went without electricity once, which lasted for an entire day. We don’t have a backup generator, so it was terrible, but it was also unusual.
(Street with electric wires, Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
What's the food like in the markets in Placencia, Belize?
Wayne Robbins - The Placencia
The supermarkets in Placencia are very similar to the supermarkets that you are used to in North America. They are not AMPs or Food Towns but they are good-sized supermarkets and they generally have most of the things that one is used to such as soda, steak, chicken, seafood, etc.
The seafood in the supermarkets of Placencia is very good but they also have their own seafood market that you can go to daily. In general, supermarkets in Placencia are very good. The...
The supermarkets in Placencia are very similar to the supermarkets that you are used to in North America. They are not AMPs or Food Towns but they are good-sized supermarkets and they generally have most of the things that one is used to such as soda, steak, chicken, seafood, etc.
The seafood in the supermarkets of Placencia is very good but they also have their own seafood market that you can go to daily. In general, supermarkets in Placencia are very good. The restaurants are even better. We have three restaurants in our project right now, with several more coming. There are multiple restaurants in the village of Placencia. These restaurants have different ethnicities from Italian, Chinese, Indian, Continental, Mediterranean, to Belizean, etc. Pizza is also very good in Belize. It is a lot better than the pizza in Florida, where I stay occasionally, so I am very happy about that.
Overall, the food in Placencia is excellent. The portions are good and their prices are very reasonable. The beauty of Placencia is that you eat most of your meals right on the ocean. Whether you are eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner or just having a cocktail, I don’t think the view or the ambiance gets any better than that!
(Feast at The Placencia Residents and Resort, Placencia, Belize, pictured.)
Should I keep my US bank, brokerage, investment, IRA, or retirement account if I move to Panama?
Jeff Barton
There are opportunities to open your own investment accounts in Panama. Most of the financial institutions have brokerage accounts in Panama so you would be an opportunity to have both.
When you open a foreign investment account, if you are a US citizen, there are additional tax and compliance requirements that some people prefer not to have to deal with, including FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Reporting). But it is definitely an option and many people switch...
There are opportunities to open your own investment accounts in Panama. Most of the financial institutions have brokerage accounts in Panama so you would be an opportunity to have both.
When you open a foreign investment account, if you are a US citizen, there are additional tax and compliance requirements that some people prefer not to have to deal with, including FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Reporting). But it is definitely an option and many people switch over entirely or do a hybrid of accounts that are based in Panama and keep what they have in the US.
( Calle 50 Tower Bank at night, Panama City, Panama , pictured.)
The cost to rent a home in Portugal depends on several things such as the size of the property, whether it is furnished or not, whether it has a pool or not, and whether it is with a garage or without. It is really relative.
As an example, in Cascais, a two-bedroom, furnished apartment without a pool would cost around €1,200 (US $1,300 or £865). The same apartment but unfurnished would be about €800 (US $870 or £587). If it has a pool and a garage, it would...
The cost to rent a home in Portugal depends on several things such as the size of the property, whether it is furnished or not, whether it has a pool or not, and whether it is with a garage or without. It is really relative.
As an example, in Cascais, a two-bedroom, furnished apartment without a pool would cost around €1,200 (US $1,300 or £865). The same apartment but unfurnished would be about €800 (US $870 or £587). If it has a pool and a garage, it would go up to about €2,000 (US 2,180 or £1,450). You pay for the utilities separately. The rental contract would be for one year.
The further away from Lisbon you go, the cheaper everything gets. Cascais and Estoril are the most expensive towns in Lisbon. It is even more expensive in Cascais than in the Algarve. Cascais and Estoril are the Beverly Hills or the Park Lane of Lisbon. Estoril is where the ex-kings live, such as the previous king of Spain, and most of the previous kings of Europe.
Can I use my Medicare outside the US, and if not, what are my alternatives?
Alonso Cornejo - ASA, Inc.
According to the U.S. Department of State Travel website:
Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive, and medical evacuation to the U.S. can cost more than $50,000. Note that U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the United States, nor do the Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States.
There are health insurance policies...
According to the U.S. Department of State Travel website:
Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive, and medical evacuation to the U.S. can cost more than $50,000. Note that U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the United States, nor do the Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States.
There are health insurance policies both for short term trips and longer stays abroad that you can purchase which will provide full coverage outside the US.
Juan Carlos Espinosa - Hacienda Puerta del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa
The Nicaraguan-trained doctors are very good (and I speak with the perspective of knowing the medical care system in Miami, Florida). The Nicaraguan doctors about my age went to medical school in Leon, which is one of the best medical schools in Central America, and one to which people come to study from many foreign countries. Afterwards, a very large percentage of Nicaraguan doctors do at least some study in the US.
The Nicaraguan-trained doctors are very good (and I speak with the perspective of knowing the medical care system in Miami, Florida). The Nicaraguan doctors about my age went to medical school in Leon, which is one of the best medical schools in Central America, and one to which people come to study from many foreign countries. Afterwards, a very large percentage of Nicaraguan doctors do at least some study in the US.
I hear you are Belize bound. Maybe I can help. No, packing plates wasn’t what I had in mind. Sorry. Be of good cheer, though, that your porcelain will remain safely out of my CLUMSY hands.
Now then, let’s consider some handy things you may want to toss in that last box before you tape the top. First, have you included a goodly number of chains among your household items? You look at me wildly. Take it easy, now. I am not...
We have just recently retired and plan to spend winters in our condo in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit. We bought the condo 3 years ago and have spent school holidays (I am a retired school teacher) setting up our condo and exploring our village and neighbourhood a little. We barely scratched the surface but look forward to learning more about the area in our 6-month trip this year!
What we have discovered, we love. The locals are so generous and accepting of us "gringos'...
Within the creation of any great work of art, you can usually see certain elements of that great work in several previous works, but none of those previous works have all the elements at one time. It is the same with great beaches. You probably have your own list of the elements that make up a great beach. Here’s the list for my wife, Jet Metier:
Warm weather.
A cove or a bay, perhaps with a view of an island.